Norway has lost its monarch.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a telegram of condolence to King Haakon VIII following the death of his father, His Majesty King Harald V.
The message was published on August 28 by Akorda, the official website of the President of Kazakhstan. Tokayev expressed his condolences to the new Norwegian monarch and paid tribute to Harald V’s decades of service to his country.
Tokayev called Harald V a symbol of Norway’s unity
In his telegram, the President of Kazakhstan highlighted the late monarch’s role in Norway and the respect he earned during his long reign.
«King Harald V was an outstanding statesman and a true symbol of unity, resilience and the incredible progress of the Kingdom of Norway. Throughout his long and distinguished reign, he served his country with dignity, wisdom and unwavering devotion to the welfare of his people, earning their genuine respect and affection», — the telegram says.
Harald V reigned for more than 35 years
Harald V was born on February 21, 1937. He ascended the Norwegian throne on January 21, 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V.
His reign therefore lasted more than 35 years and spanned a period of major economic and social change in Norway.
According to the Royal House of Norway, Harald V died on August 28 at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. He was 89.
The monarch had remained one of Norway’s most recognizable public figures throughout his decades on the throne.
Haakon VIII succeeds his father on the Norwegian throne
Following Harald V’s death, the crown passed to his son, who had previously served as Crown Prince Haakon.
He became King Haakon VIII, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Norwegian monarchy after more than three decades under Harald V.
Tokayev addressed his telegram directly to Haakon VIII, expressing Kazakhstan’s condolences following the loss of his father.
The transition is taking place under Norway’s constitutional monarchy, where the monarch serves as head of state while political authority is exercised through the country’s parliamentary system.
Harald V represented an era in modern Norwegian history
Harald V’s reign began in 1991 and covered a period in which Norway strengthened its position as one of Europe’s most prosperous countries.
For much of that period, the king served as a symbol of continuity while Norway experienced economic development, demographic change and an increasingly prominent international role.
Tokayev’s message focused specifically on Harald V’s commitment to his country and people.
The description of him as a symbol of «unity, resilience and the incredible progress» of Norway underscores the significance Kazakhstan attached to the late monarch’s role.
Kazakhstan sends condolences to Norway
Official condolence messages are part of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic communication following the deaths of foreign heads of state, monarchs and prominent international figures.
Through the August 28 telegram, Tokayev addressed both the personal loss suffered by Haakon VIII and the broader loss for Norway.
Further information on Kazakhstan’s presidential diplomacy and official messages is available through Akorda.
DKNews.kz has previously covered President Tokayev’s official messages and international diplomatic engagements. The death of Harald V now marks the end of a 35-year reign and the beginning of the reign of King Haakon VIII.
